or


[02/03/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: February 3
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:

Looking to keep track of all the various projects in development? Click here to visit our newly revamped "Series in Development" charts. Visitors can now filter our listings by network, genre and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!

BLUE SKIES (NBC, New!) - Jhoni Marchinko ("Will & Grace") has scored a cast-contingent pilot order from the Peacock for a new comedy about a 27-year-old woman who finds herself the "reluctant enabler" to her eccentric family. The project, additional details of which were not available, is set up at NBC Universal Television.

BOSTON LEGAL (ABC) - Chi McBride is set to reprise his "Boston Public" role of Steven Harper in an upcoming episode of the David E. Kelley-produced series. The controversial installment is understood to revolve around the Winslow High principal's decision to ban certain network news coverage on school grounds. It's not clear if any of the other "Public" cast members will appear in the episode nor when it will air. Kelley is no stranger to crossovers, as "Boston Public," "Ally McBeal" and "The Practice" have all mingled at some point.

THE COMMUTERS (CBS) - Stephen Kay ("Boogeyman") has been tapped to direct the drama pilot, which revolves around three couples in the suburbs, the husbands of which all commute together each day on the train to New York City. Dan Bucatinsky ("All Over the Guy") created "Commuters," which is set up at Paramount Network Television.

DEVIANT BEHAVIOR (A.K.A. UNTITLED JOSH BERMAN PROJECT) (FOX) - Josh Berman's ("C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation") untitled drama pilot has been given a production green light and a title. The project, which is set up at Regency Television, revolves around a team that tracks serial killers. No other details were available.

DOG TOWN LAYWERS (The WB) - Jay Baruchel ("The Stones," "Undeclared") has scored the lead role in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced drama pilot, about the relationship between a young prodigy lawyer (Baruchel) and his mentor, a jaded defense attorney who has fallen from the big leagues. Jonathan Shapiro ("The Practice") created the Warner Bros. Television-based project, which will be executive produced by Shapiro, Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman.

EMILY'S REASONS WHY NOT (ABC, New!) - The Alphabet has given a showrunner-contingent pilot order to a small screen adaptation of Carrie Gerlach's book of the same name. The comedy, about a woman who publishes a self-help book but doesn't take her own advice, is set up at Sony Pictures Television and Pariah Television. Pariah's Gavin Polone and Vivian Cannon will executive produce the project along with Emily Kapnek ("As Told by Ginger").

THE GHOST WHISPERER (CBS, New!) - Famed psychic James Van Praagh ("The Dead Will Tell") has set up another project at the Eye, this time a cast-contingent drama pilot about a young newlywed who talks to the dead. John Gray ("Helter Skelter") is attached to write and direct the pilot as well as executive produce with Touchstone Television-based producers Ian Sander and Kim Moses ("Profiler"). Van Praagh will serve as a co-executive producer.

HOT PROPERTIES (ABC, New!) - Suzanne Martin ("Maybe It's Me") is back at ABC as the writer/producer has received a pilot commitment from the Alphabet for a new comedy about four women who run a real estate office in New York. The project is set up at Warner Bros. Television. Martin spent the past development season at ABC where she created the Gina Gershon-led comedy pilot "Hot Momma."

IN JUSTICE (ABC) - Jason O'Mara ("The Agency") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a group of impassioned lawyers who aid the wrongly convicted. He'll play a detective working for the team in the project, which is set up at Touchstone Television and comes from feature writers Robert & Michelle King ("The Vertical Limit"). O'Mara's involvement stems from a talent holding deal the actor signed with the network and the studio in October (read the story). He's also no stranger to ABC, having spent the past development season as part of the failed drama pilot "Countdown."

QUANTICO (CBS, New!) - Jeff Davis and Mark Gordon ("Grey's Anatomy") have booked a pilot order from the Eye for a new a suspense thriller set inside the F.B.I.'s behavioral analysis unit. The drama project is set up at Touchstone Television with Davis writing the pilot script and executive producing with Gordon.

STACKED (A.K.A. UNTITLED PAMELA ANDERSON PROJECT) (FOX) - Tom Everett Scott ("That Thing You Do!") has joined the cast of the Pamela Anderson-led comedy, which now features the title "Stacked." Scott will play a bookstore owner who hires Pamela Anderson's character, a woman who's trying to change her life and break her habit of falling for less-than-responsible men. Steve Levitan is behind the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, which already has an on-air commitment of six episodes.

THE UNIT (A.K.A. UNTITLED DAVID MAMET/SHAWN RYAN PROJECT) (CBS) - Recent "The Shield" collaborators David Mamet and Shawn Ryan have been given a green light to produce the drama pilot, which now is running under the title "The Unit." The project, which previously had a put pilot commitment, chronicles the lives of the members of a special forces unit and their families. Mamet will write the pilot script and executive produce the 20th Century Fox Television-based project along with Ryan.

UNTITLED DAVID DIAMOND/DAVID WEISSMAN PROJECT (CBS) - The untitled project, from writers David Diamond & David Weissman ("The Family Man") and director Brett Ratner, has been given a green light to produce a pilot. The drama revolves around the lives of a sports agent and his wife, a magazine editor, as they juggle parenthood. Ratner will direct the project, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television and Paramount Network Television, from a script by the duo.

UNTITLED SEAN JABLONSKI/JASON KATIMS PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Sean Jablonski ("Nip/Tuck") and Jason Katims ("Roswell") have scored a pilot order from FOX for a new drama which follows the staff of a fertility clinic. The pair will write and executive produce the project, which is set up at the 20th Century Fox Television-based Imagine Television, along with Imagine's David Nevins and Brian Grazer.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [february 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· AGENCY, THE (CBS)
· ALLY MCBEAL (FOX)
· BLUE SKIES (NBC)
· BOSTON LEGAL (ABC)
· BOSTON PUBLIC (FOX)
· COMMUTERS, THE (CBS)
· COUNTDOWN (ABC)
· CRIMINAL MINDS (CBS)
· CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS)
· DEAD WILL TELL, THE (CBS)
· EMILY'S REASONS WHY NOT (ABC)
· FERTILE GROUND (FOX)
· GHOST WHISPERER (CBS)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· HELTER SKELTER (CBS)
· HOT MOMMA (ABC)
· HOT PROPERTIES (ABC)
· IN JUSTICE (ABC)
· JUST LEGAL (WB)
· KILLER INSTINCT (FOX)
· MAYBE IT'S ME (WB)
· NIP/TUCK (FX)
· PRACTICE, THE (ABC)
· PROFILER (NBC)
· ROSWELL (UPN)
· SHIELD, THE (FX)
· STACKED (FOX)
· STONES, THE (CBS)
· UNDECLARED (FOX)
· UNIT, THE (CBS)
· UNTITLED DIAMOND & WEISSMAN PROJECT (CBS)
· WILL & GRACE (NBC)





[07/18/25 - 09:09 AM]
"Bobby's Triple Threat" Is Back With Brand-New Addition to Bobby Flay's Hand-Picked Trio of Culinary Titans
The 10-episode season premieres Tuesday, September 2 at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network and streaming the next day on HBO Max.

[07/18/25 - 08:06 AM]
Jaw-Dropping Custom Builds and Outrageous Family Antics Collide in "Truck Dynasty" Premiering Tuesday, August 12 at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel
Florida's Apocalypse Manufacturing owner Joe Ghattas is a self-made boss in the custom truck industry, known for his bold designs and loyal following that includes hardcore enthusiasts, world-famous rappers, sports superstars, and elite supermodels.

[07/18/25 - 08:01 AM]
Hallmark Channel Adds Hit Series "Gilmore Girls" to Its Lineup Beginning August 25
Just in time for the fall, the Gilmore family and the beloved residents of Stars Hollow will add twice the warmth and joy to Hallmark Channel's widely adored slate of heartfelt programming.

[07/18/25 - 07:36 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Wes Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme" Beginning July 25
From Oscar-nominated writer and director Wes Anderson, the film stars Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton and Michael Cera.

[07/18/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford - Official Teaser Trailer - Netflix
Two of boxing's most dominant forces, Saul "Canelo" Álvarez and Terence Crawford will face off in a once in a lifetime fight for the unified Super Middleweight championship on Saturday, September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

[07/17/25 - 10:01 PM]
Video: "Final Draft" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Twenty-five athletes, most retired, compete to win 30M yen to launch their second career. Can they overcome tough physical and psychological challenges?

[07/17/25 - 07:04 PM]
Video: Preview - Summer Nights 2025 - Coming in August
Tune in for all-new movie premieres this August on Hallmark Channel Saturday nights at 8/7c!

[07/17/25 - 04:15 PM]
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" to End After 2025-26 Broadcast Season
Colbert announced the news during tonight's taping at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

[07/17/25 - 02:17 PM]
Thrilling True Crime Docu-Series, "True Crime Story: Smugshot," Returns to SundanceTV Thursday, August 14
Created and executive produced by award-winning documentary filmmakers Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel, the six-episode series spotlights entitled individuals involved in elaborate criminal behavior.

[07/17/25 - 01:31 PM]
Netflix: What We Watched the First Half of 2025
This report, which captures ~99% of all viewing in the first half of 2025, shows that people watched a lot of Netflix - over 95B hours - spanning a wide range of genres and languages.

[07/17/25 - 01:16 PM]
Freida Pinto to Star in Netflix's "Unaccustomed Earth"
Inspired by the internationally beloved Jhumpa Lahiri short story collection of the same name, "Unaccustomed Earth" is an epic, soapy, and culturally vibrant drama about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire, and belonging.

[07/17/25 - 01:06 PM]
Samuel L. Jackson to Headline His First TV Series As Paramount+ Greenlights "NOLA King," The First Spinoff of the Hit Series "Tulsa King"
Jackson's character, Russell Lee Washington Jr., will be introduced in the upcoming, highly anticipated third season of "Tulsa King," slated to premiere in September.

[07/17/25 - 12:53 PM]
New Series "The Mother Flip" Premieres Saturday, August 16 at 12pm ET/PT on A&E's HomeMadeNation
Best friends and savvy flippers Kristy Etheredge and Rebecca Franchione, along with contractor Roy Salinas, transform the worst homes in Texas' Hill Country into big profits.

[07/17/25 - 12:11 PM]
AMC Networks' August Highlights Include "Nautilus," "Irish Blood," "Kidnapped," "The Furry Detectives" and More!
The month also features new seasons of Sundance TV's "True Crime Story: Smugshot," and We TV's fan-favorite series "Life After Lockup."

[07/17/25 - 11:35 AM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Schedule Update: Division Leaders Collide as Detroit Tigers Visit Philadelphia Phillies on August 3
This marks the third "Sunday Night Baseball" appearance of the 2025 regular season for the Tigers and the fourth appearance for the Phillies.